Their Shadow
by OneBehindYou
Summary: "I'm a shadow, and that's all I'll ever be." Shadowkit thought he was content as a loner and outcast, until he meets someone who turns his whole life upside-down and gets dragged into a battle of heaven, Earth, and hell. Now, what will it take to keep a romance over borders a secret, find out his past, and while living amidst lies and secrets, step out from everyone else's shadow?
1. Allegiances (ShadowClan)

**ShadowClan Allegiances**

**Leader: **Skystar — Silver and white she-cat with sky-blue eyes.

**Deputy:** Firescar — Large dark ginger tom with emerald eyes. Has a long scar running down his flank.

**Medicine cat: **Larksong — Light brown she-cat with black flecks. Eyes are bright yellow.

**Warriors:**

Feathersong — Creamy-white she-cat with black and ginger blotches. Has orange eyes.

Pinedrop — Swift ginger and brown tabby tom with dark blue-green eyes.

Sunwing — Sandy-brown she-cat with amber eyes.

Smokeheart — Long-haired dark grey tom with bright green eyes.

Iceleaf — White she-cat with one lime-green eye and one blue eye.

Snowflower — White she-cat with very light ginger stripes on forelegs and forehead. Has light blue eyes.

Flameshade — Sleek orange tabby tom with amber eyes.

Berrysplash — Long-haired cream she-cat with a brown face and tail. Has ice-blue eyes.

Nightfrost — Silver and black tabby tom with dark blue eyes.

Stormfire — Dark grey tom with a lightly striped underside. Has orange eyes.

Boulderstripe — Black and dark ginger tabby tom with grey-blue eyes.

Blizzardpelt — Grey tom with a white muzzle, paws, tail-tip, and belly. Eye color is a soft yellow-orange.

Lilypond — Pale cream-colored she-cat with dark blue eyes.

Lightningflash — Pale yellowish she-cat with darker stripes. Has light amber eyes. A very fast runner.

Pouncetail — Young tom with a flame-colored pelt and blue eyes.

Oakclaw — Brown tabby tom with olive-colored eyes. Strong fighter.

Silverpool — Pale grey she-cat with eyes that are darker blue around the pupil and get lighter as they near the rim (rim is still white).

Duskfall — Golden tom with dull dark blue eyes.

Rainpearl — Silver she-cat with a cream-colored chest. Has light blue eyes.

Foxfur — Dark ginger tom with brown spots. Has bright green eyes.

Moonriver — Silver tabby she-cat with pale grey eyes. Has a scar on her muzzle.

Crowflight — Black tom with white paws and golden eyes.

Batwing — Dark grey tom with black paws. Has dull green eyes.

Leafdapple — Tortoiseshell she-cat with lime-green eyes.

Aspenblaze — Cream, black, and brown tom with orange-amber eyes.

Ashfrost — White tom with grey patches and blue eyes.

Hawkwing — Brown tom with white paws and bright lime-green green eyes. Has a missing ear.

**Apprentices:**

Owlpaw — White tom with grey flecks. Has dark green eyes.

Hollowpaw — Very dark grey tom with deep blue eyes.

Ivorypaw — Cream-colored she-cat with amber eyes.

**Elders:**

Barkclaw — Very dark brown tom with half a tail. Has yellow eyes.

Brookwhisker — Beige tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Willowshade — Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with shredded ears and green eyes.

**Queens:**

Amberdawn — Sandy yellow tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Mother to Shadowkit, Dawnkit and Adderkit.

Streampetal — Silver she-cat with deep green eyes. Mother to Breezekit and Swallowkit.

**Kits:**

Breezekit — Very pale grey (almost white) tom with blue eyes.

Swallowkit — Dark grey tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Adderkit — Light ginger tom with darker stripes and bright yellow eyes. Has a white chest and muzzle.

Dawnkit — Orange and white patched she-cat with orange eyes.

Shadowkit — Jet-black long-haired tom with ice-blue eyes.


	2. Chapter 1: Somewhere Else

**Chapter 1: Somewhere Else**

The moonless, pitch-black night loomed overhead as the tall, dark trees, their branches bare as bone, held an eerie mist that swirled through the dead forest. A crow's hoarse call somewhere in the distance echoed off the trees' surfaces, and an unsettling light from no source bounced off the fallen, crinkled, dull leaves on the frozen ground below and scattered an extremely dim silvery-blue glow throughout the lands.

Paws and heartbeats thumped in unison to the battle. A silhouetted figure crashed onto the ground, but picked himself up again quickly. Another one, this one's pelt lighter, did a flip in the air before landing for an extremely short moment on a boulder which was jutting out of the ground. He pushed himself off the jagged surface with his powerful hind legs and charged at the first cat. The darker-pelted one dodged away in a swift motion, and the second one growled in frustration as his repeated loss.

"Give up," the large dark grey tom hissed, baring his sharp fangs.

The second one's claws glinted in the dim, eerie light.

"Never!"

They charged into a collision once again, claws and teeth battling.

Blood-curdling yowls and ear-piercing shrieks shattered the chilly atmosphere. Fresh blood splattered onto the stones and ground below.

"This is what I was trained for," the pale silvery tom spoke lowly but clearly, panting, his breath forming small clouds in the cold air. His lime-green eyes, barely slits, gleamed in the darkness. He charged. "No mercy! I will never give up!"

Claws sliced pelts and teeth bit into throats. Blood stained the dead earth underfoot and pooled around the wounded.

He stood, panting hard, but his head was held high in proud triumph. He swept his light silver tail over the dark red liquid and a crooked, cold smile formed on his lips.

"Know something, foolish young cat," the victor hissed in a chilly voice. "_We_ are the Dark Forest. _We_ call the Place of No Stars our home. And we never lose."

And while a raven's inky wings sliced the foggy night overhead, the gnarly trees watched him as he strode away, the hidden stars seemingly whispering to the dead…

"Somewhere, sometime else, it is better…"

* * *

The warm, blazing glow of the nearing sunset washed over the sky, while the tall trees welcomed the embrace of the approaching twilight. Shadowed figures rushed around in the ShadowClan clearing, their clear eyes reflecting the fiery light of the setting sun.

"Shadowkit, come back to the den," a warm, silky voice called. "It's time to go to sleep."

The speaker laid at the den entrance, her soft amber eyes showing her worry for the dark-furred kit as she gazed over to where he was crouching under a leafy tree.

"Shadowkit!" she called again, her tone harder and much more stern this time. "Don't make me say it again."

A small, jet-black ball of fur was just visible under the shade of the leaves. He didn't flinch at his mother's tone and didn't make any move to go back into the den. In fact, he didn't even turn at her call. Instead, he just twitched an ear and flicked his tail, lying down under the shadow of the tree in relaxation.

The sandy yellow tabby she-cat who had called him heaved a big sigh in frustration and muttered under her breath, trying to stay calm. She was about to give up when, a few moments later, a sleek silver she-cat padded up beside her and laid down, their flanks brushing each other's.

"Hello, Amberdawn," the silver she-cat greeted with a smile. She stopped herself from rambling on as she saw her clanmate's unpleasant expression. Her deep green eyes then showed genuine concern for her denmate and friend. "Frustrated?" she asked gently.

"Yes," the sandy-colored she-cat finally answered after a few seconds of silence. She sighed. "He just doesn't listen. Not to me, not to anyone."

The silver she-cat immediately understood, glancing over at the black-pelted kit. She gave a slight frown. "You should try to be understanding. Don't rush anything. I know it can be hard, but trust me, anger and impatience will get you nowhere."

"I know, but…" Amberdawn trailed off, lowering her gaze to stare at the ground in front of her. She laid her chin down on her paws. "I've tried, Streampetal, I really have. But he's never listened to anyone. Not once."

Streampetal swept her silver tail across the grass, a faint greenleaf breeze ruffling her fur. The sun was disappearing fast, and the last remnants of bright scarlet, orange and golden light vanished, shifting to a much dimmer dark violet.

"Maybe you just have to speak to him," Streampetal suggested softly.

"If only I could," Amberdawn replied without hesitating. Streampetal winced internally at the harshness of the tabby cat's tone. "You can try, but he won't listen. You can teach him, but he's always focused on something else rather than the real world. He's distant from anyone and I've barely heard him talk to anyone else. He's just… different."

Streampetal glanced over at her and realized her amber eyes weren't cold or angry this time, but rather sad.

"He's only a kit, Amberdawn," the silver she-cat tried to reassure her in a light, cheery tone. "He'll learn in time. All kits have a naughty stage at one point or another."

"But he's not exactly naughty, though," Amberdawn explained, eyeing her son, who was a few fox-lengths diagonally in front of her. "He's just cold and distant." The sandy yellow she-cat lips formed into a tight, straight line. "Is this just a phase, and will it end? He's going to be an apprentice soon, and it would be very hard for any mentor to cope with his current behavior."

"It's probably going to change soon," Streampetal answered. "Don't worry, it's likely just a—"

"Oh, Streampetal," Amberdawn suddenly spoke, interrupting, her eyes widening. Her voice came out as just a whisper. "I'm not a bad mother, am I?"

The silver-furred cat's green eyes widened as well. Then she laughed in a light, playful way and shook her head. "No, of course not! Why, Dawnkit and Adderkit are doing just fine."

Amberdawn glanced back into the den. Four small shapes were huddled together. Two kits—an orange-and-white she-kit and a striped ginger tom—stood out to her. She smiled at their peaceful expressions, murmuring in their sleep once in a while, and faced Streampetal again.

"But they're just not… Shadowkit," Amberdawn finally finished lamely, although her voice was, in fact, laced with concern.

"Maybe he seems hard to cope with right now, but believe me, he definitely isn't the only one." Streampetal smiled and stood up, padding away. Her steps were silent to not disturb the sleeping kits in the den. "Just remember, whatever you do, don't give up."

Amberdawn realized she was alone a few moments after the silver she-cat left, trying to wrap her mind around everything. She stood up as well, but she proceeded to her dark-pelted kit's sleeping spot under the tree. She realized the stars were twinkling above her already, and saw that most cats were already going to sleep.

Some soft snores sounded from the kit, and Amberdawn couldn't help but smile, if only a bit. She held out a paw, about to prod him awake and ask him to go back to the nursery, but decided against it almost immediately. Instead, she lifted him by the scruff with gentle but firm jaws, carrying him back to the den, assuring that he was still peacefully asleep. Laying him down beside the other four kits, Amberdawn felt somewhat relieved and wrapped her tail around her kits, falling into a quiet, dream-filled slumber.

_I promise I won't give up._


	3. Chapter 2: Trespasser

**Chapter 2: Trespasser**

The sky was dark and heavy as it loomed over their heads. Rain, as sharp as shards of ice, pelted down on the camp from ominous clouds that blanketed the sky and hid the sun.

Two young littermates sat at the entrance of the ShadowClan nursery, sheltered by the den's roof. The pale grey tom glanced up at the sky, his blue eyes reflecting the heavy downpour, while his sister's dark grey ears drooped down sadly as she slouched down beside him.

"It's raining very hard, Swallowkit," the tom observed, a faint growl rumbling in his throat. The darker grey tabby she-cat sighed.

"How is our apprentice ceremony going to take place in this weather, Breezekit?" Swallowkit asked, her green eyes narrowed, not really expecting an answer from her brother. She swept her gaze over the clearing. Many cats were trying to hide from the downpour under trees and in the shelter of their dens, but the warriors were still forced to hunt and fulfill their duties, while the apprentices needed to train.

"A little rain won't stop us, right?" the light grey tom, Breezekit, mewed confidently, his chest puffed out slightly. "We're going to be apprentices today, and nothing'll stop us."

"It is quite wet to be holding a ceremony, though," Swallowkit muttered. "Maybe Skystar will move the date."

"You're right," Breezekit realized with a pang of sadness. He put on a mask of happiness and determination to cheer them both up. "But this way, we have more time to prepare, and we'll definitely be the best warriors ever!"

Swallowkit forced a small smile and nodded silently.

Two young cats—an orange-and-white she-cat and a ginger tom, about the same age as the two siblings—padded over to join them. Breezekit and Swallowkit recognized their friends and called them over.

"Hi, Breezekit, Swallowkit," the orange-and-white she-cat greeted.

"Hey, Dawnkit, Adderkit." Swallowkit smiled at them.

"Have you guys seen Shadowkit?" the striped ginger tom asked. He glanced around the ShadowClan camp. "We can't seem to find him anywhere."

"Sorry, Adderkit, we haven't," Breezekit replied, searching around but not seeming to find the black-pelted kit.

Dawnkit lowered her gaze to stare at the ground. She sighed. "Oh, well. He can do what he wants. Come on, let's go."

"Right." Adderkit flicked his striped tail and beckoned the other two to follow. They did.

The rain didn't weaken. Instead, the downpour got heavier, and the four young cats had no choice but to search for shelter under the thick trees of ShadowClan territory, impatiently awaiting the day they would be made apprentices.

* * *

A songbird somewhere fluffed up its feathers to shake off the droplets on its body, then lifted off into the clouds, fighting the rain. Its flight through the leaves sent a shower of raindrops pouring down below.

The droplets rained down onto a young cat walking below, making his dark fur slick and wet, sticking to his body, his figure very thin and fragile in appearance now. He shot an irritated glare to the sky, but the flurry of wings had long gone.

_Today was supposed to be my apprentice ceremony_, he thought expressionlessly. _But that doesn't matter anymore._

He strode through the trees, shaking off his wet fur as his shadowy outline appeared and disappeared again and again through the leaves and branches. His cold ice-blue eyes pierced the dark, gloomy atmosphere, as if challenging the dismal, rainy weather.

_What good is it just to become an apprentice? Being different just because of what other cats see in you? Just because of a name? Free of limitations just because of your low rank in the clan? _he asked himself, thinking of his brother and sister and the other kits, eager to be made apprentices. _It's ridiculous, if you ask me. Freedom is your own choice. If you want to do something, do it. There's no cat stopping you._

The strong, familiar scent of ShadowClan grew fainter as he padded farther and farther from the camp. The ground underfoot shifted to a wet marshy land, and the unfamiliar, unpleasant scent of fish and RiverClan drifted into the air.

_I'm almost at the border._

Shadowkit glanced up ahead. A small Thunderpath separated the grounds of ShadowClan and RiverClan. Past that path wouldn't be his territory anymore, and he was restricted by the code to trespass.

He scoffed mentally to himself. _Rules won't trap me._

Without hesitating, he stepped over the strong scent border. RiverClan must've refreshed the borderline recently. The crisp smell of leaves, rain and mud was smeared over his fur. RiverClan would have a hard time detecting his scent, and in this greenleaf downpour as well.

He lowered his nose to the ground, sniffing the marshy land for any signs of prey. His unadapted paws sunk into the wetlands easily and he held himself back from cursing in frustration. But looking at the new territories and places he's never been before—places he _shouldn't_ be—he felt free of the code and wandered farther away from his "home".

As he padded on, the rain seemed to thin out and the clouds were scattering. Maybe it was just his imagination as he wanted something better, but his ice-blue eyes indeed reflected a clearing sky.

He made one last glance back at the thick, tall trees of ShadowClan and didn't look back again. One thought swam in his mind, but he pushed the hundreds and thousands of silent voices in his his head back and focused on the horizon. The trees cleared to make way for him, and in the blurry surroundings, he could just make out a rapidly flowing river in the distance, the harsh current slapping against the sharp, jagged rocks in the water.

_Trespasser._


End file.
